Contoocook River

Contoocook River
Covered railroad bridge in village of Contoocook
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Location
Country	United States
State	New Hampshire
Counties	Cheshire, Hillsborough, Merrimack
Towns	Jaffrey, Peterborough, Bennington, Antrim, Hillsborough, Henniker, West Hopkinton, Contoocook, Penacook
Physical characteristics
Source	Contoocook Lake
• location	Jaffrey
• coordinates	42°48′4″N 72°1′38″W / 42.80111°N 72.02722°W / 42.80111; -72.02722
• elevation	1,007 ft (307 m)
Mouth	Merrimack River
• location	Penacook
• coordinates	43°17′11″N 71°35′23″W / 43.28639°N 71.58972°W / 43.28639; -71.58972
• elevation	242 ft (74 m)
Length	71 mi (114 km)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Nubanusit Brook, North Branch, Warner River, Blackwater River
• right	Gridley River

The Contoocook River (/kənˈtʊkək/ ^ⓘ) is a 71-mile-long (114 km)^[1] river in New Hampshire. It flows from Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/Rindge border to Penacook (just north of Concord), where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire that flow in a predominantly northward direction. Four covered bridges span the river, one in the town of Henniker, one on the Hancock-Greenfield line, and two in the town of Hopkinton, New Hampshire with one being in the village of Contoocook, and the other in the populated place of West Hopkinton. Residents and tourists have made the Contoocook popular for fishing and whitewater boating.

The name Contoocook came from the Pennacook tribe of Native Americans and perhaps means "place of the river near pines". Other variations of the name include the Abenaki meaning "nut trees river" or Natick language meaning "small plantation at the river."^[2][3]

The river gives its name to Contoocook, New Hampshire, a census-designated place (CDP) within the town of Hopkinton.

From south to north:

• Nubanusit Brook begins at Nubanusit Lake in Nelson and joins the Contoocook in Peterborough.
• The North Branch of the Contoocook starts in Stoddard and joins the main stem in Hillsborough.
• The Warner River starts in Bradford and joins the Contoocook in Hopkinton.
• The Blackwater River begins at Pleasant Lake in New London and joins the Contoocook in Hopkinton.

• List of New Hampshire rivers

• Department of Environmental Services River Management and Protection
• American Whitewater description of the Freight Train rapids section